Les Bowen

STAFF WRITER

Les Bowen has covered the Eagles since 2002. Before that, he covered the Flyers for 13 years. He came to the Daily News from the Charlotte Observer in May 1983, just as the Sixers were winning the NBA championship. He thought, "Gosh, this sort of thing must happen all the time here."

The national talking head network had it right, after all. Andy Reid has named Michael Vick the Eagles' starting quarterback.

"I took plenty of time to evaluate it and this is what I think is right," Reid said.

Reid told reporters at NovaCare that up til now, he had told us what he believed -- that Kolb would be the QB, but that Vick did "an exceptional job" the last two weeks. "It's my obligation to make the proper decision" Reid said.

Reid said it was his decision and that he has full backing of the front office on the move. He said he met with Kolb over the last two days and Kolb was the first to know about the move.

"Kevin Kolb would like to be the starting quarterback of this football team and I wouldn’t expect anything less," Reid said. "This is one of the most competitive kids I’ve been around. He wants to be out there and he wants to play and his day will come here.”

Vick has shown he can be a pocket passer, Reid said. "I didn't expect, obviously, the accelerated play of Michael Vick," Reid said, when he repeatedly insisted Kolb would be the Eagles' starter.

So far there have been no discussions on a contract extension for Vick, who becomes a free agent at the end of the season.

Reid said he "absolutely" felt the Eagles could win a Super Bowl with Vick and said Vick is possibly playing better than he ever has.

"One of the great things about America is you're given a second chance if you handle it the proper way," Reid said. "His teammates will stand up for Michael and so will I."

Reid said Kolb, scheduled to make $12.25 million guaranteed this season, has not asked for a trade. He also stressed that he sees a bright future for Kolb and called him a potentially "championship caliber" QB.

Earlier: The Eagles' signing of RB Joique Bell finally is official, and the roster move made to bring him aboard is a mild surprise. Hank Baskett, cut last year about this time just because Reggie Brown wouldn't have caused too big a cap hit, is gone now for other reasons, presumably because with rookie Riley Cooper in the fold, Hank is redundant.

Baskett, a wideout who arrived in a 2006 trade with Minnesota, is best known for being married to reality TV star and former Playmate Kendra Wilkinson.

Bell was was signed off the Bills' practice squad. The Eagles now have five running backs, if you include fullback Owen Schmitt, an unwieldy number, which is another reason the Baskett release seems odd.

Adding to the intrigue, the Eagles just released RB Martell Mallett from their practice squad -- not odd, given the number of RBs on the roster -- but they also released practice squad safety Chip Vaughn.